Gavins Point Dam

The river had been permanently crossed by the Meridian Bridge, but even by the 1950s the greatest use of the Missouri's power had yet to be obtained.

With the construction of Gavins Point Dam, another 20th Century legacy in Yankton's history had been fulfilled.

Since Yankton's founding, the Missouri River had been the dominant feature in the town's geography. Until the 1950s, however, the river ran its own way, remaining virtually uncontrolled by man. In several instances, such as the Flood of 1881, Yankton citizens could only watch helplessly as the river unleashed its destructive forces.

Long before dam construction was possible, Yanktonians knew the river, if its energy could be harnessed and utilized properly, could open up new worlds of opportunity. The river had conspicuous possibilities for irrigation and electrical power.

And just as importantly, a dam on the Missouri could also help to stop the devastating spring floods. From 1943-1944, floods along the Missouri caused more than $100 million in damages.

Congressional approval for dams on the Missouri River came on Dec. 22, 1944, with the Flood Control Act. There were two main proposals. One, from Lt. Gen. Lewis Pick of the Corps of Engineers, called for flood control and river navigation. The other, advocated by W.G. Sloan of the Bureau of Reclamation, was designed for irrigation and power generation. The two sides were combined into a single concept, the Pick-Sloan Plan, for which Sen. Chan Gurney of Yankton lobbied in the nation's capital.

The Pick-Sloan Plan provided for the construction of 100 dams along the Missouri and its tributaries. The focus of the plan demanded six major dams along the Missouri itself, the smallest of which was to be constructed west of Yankton on the north side of the stream called Gavins Point. Eventually, however, it was decided to move the dam downriver to Calumet Bluff.

The Gavins Point name was kept, and on May 18, 1952, an estimated 10,000 people gathered on the Nebraska side of the river to witness the groundbreaking ceremonies. Pick, the featured speaker at the event, detonated a dynamite explosion on an island in the middle of the river to officially initiate the project.

The dam then under construction would soon control the river's flow from Yankton to St. Louis, Mo. Providing an output of 100,000 kilowatts of electricity, the dam also would create the 37-mile long Lewis and Clark Lake, a reservoir with 90 miles of shoreline. Thus the dam was setting the stage for a massive tourist attraction and recreation area for boaters, campers, anglers and others.

Construction lasted from 1952 until 1957. During the span, Yankton businesses gained extra prosperity with the presence of the workers and $35 million in contracts (along with an ultimate cost of an additional $10 million).

A public ceremony was held on July 31, 1955, to celebrate the closing of the Missouri River. Finally, on Aug. 18, 1957, Yankton residents came in crowds for the formal dedication of Gavins Point Dam.